


Troubles at Downton

by Starliam



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:02:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22146139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starliam/pseuds/Starliam
Summary: A kid is murdered in Downton village. As usual, the York police is suspecting the wrong person. And again, our friends will have to do their own investigation, in order to take a certain butler out of troubles.To be canon compliant, it starts in 1927, after the movie.
Comments: 22
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

It had been a very long, and terrible day.  
The servants ate their breakfast almost in complete silence. Everyone was feeling sad and overwhelmed for the happenings of the day. In the afternoon they had received the news that little Sam, the son of a family of farmers that was renting one the the Crawley' farms, had disappeared. The servants and the family had participated in the search, organized by the local police. Search that had ended after dinner time, when the boy had been found dead. While it was too early to know what exactly had happened, apparently the wound on his head revealed foul play. That was one of the reasons why everyone went to bed early, most of them without eating. Even the family wasn't in the mood for dinner, that was originally skipped due to the research. The idea that a kid murderer was close to them, free, was scary and upsetting.  
Alone in his room, Thomas thought about what he had to do. It was important to keep all the doors locked at all times. The kids of the house should not have been left unattended. He had to talk also to Anna and Bates, to be sure they knew to always keep an eye on Johnnie, even if they probably already thought about that.  
Thomas went to bed feeling tired, but sure that he wasn't going to be able to sleep. Instead, he was so tired and so emotionally drained that he fell asleep almost immediately. 

The next day, right after lunch, Mrs. Hughes told him that a detective of the York police, Detective Thompson, was waiting to talk to him. Thomas wasn't too surprised: after such a terrible crime in a usually calm place like Downton, it was normal that the police had to search every possibility and every detail. Surely they wanted to know if he, as a butler, had heard something.  
So he entered into his pantry with a big smile on his face, and a warm "welcome", ready to say that sadly he hadn't heard anything that could help the investigation.  
Instead, the first question from the detective surprised him.  
"Why you are not married, Mr. Barrow?"  
Thomas raised his eyebrows. "What this has to do with the death of little Sam?" he asked.  
"How do you know that we are here for what happened to little Sam?"  
Thomas tightened his lips. He felt an old kind of rage swelling up in his chest. His swallowed to calm himself. "Well, it's just natural, considering what happened. Anyway, if you really need to know, I am not married because I was always focused on my job. Maybe you don't know it, but I started as a junior footman, and became valet, under butler, and finally butler. I always worked for long hours every day, and I live here at the Abbey, so I don't have a lot of chances to meet women".  
"Mmm... So you don't have... some tendencies... towards men".  
Thomas fixed his eyes on the detective. "No. I don't. But I know that there are some rumors about me".  
"Rumors... fine, let's call them rumors. Anyway, where were you yesterday morning?"  
"It was my half day, and I went to the village in the morning. I went to have a haircut, then I went to buy pomade, some books, socks. I had lunch at the Grantham Arms, and then I came back here. After a couple of hours we received the news of the disappearance of little Sam, and everyone in the house went out to help".  
"Thank you, Mr. Barrow. It is all, for now. I will let you know if I need to speak to you again".  
Thomas forced himself to smile. 

Bates was called right after Thomas. The butler didn't have the chance to tell him what to expect, so he was surprised exactly like Thomas, when he understood what was the detective's hypothesis.  
"Would you say that you know Mr. Barrow very well?" was the first question.  
"I would say so, yes. But why? You told me that you needed to investigate the tragic death of Sam".  
"I am".  
"Oh". Bates was more then surprised. Where they suspecting Thomas? But surely he would never...  
"Have you ever suspected some... illegal tendencies... in Mr. Barrow?"  
Bates looked intently at the detective. "No, I haven't. And honestly I don't understand what you mean".  
"Mmmm. And yet, he is not married".  
"I'm sure you know that a lot of butlers aren't. Anyway, when I arrived here, he was kind of dating Daisy, our assistant cook".  
"Kind of dating?"  
"They went out together a couple of times".  
"But then nothing else?"  
"No, Daisy was actually in love with William, the other footman. They got married before he died. This caused a lot of friction between Mr. Barrow and William, they also had a fist fight once, in the servant's hall".  
Damn. He really needed to talk to Daisy before the detective could interrogate her.  
"So... you didn't know that a few months ago Mr. Barrow was arrested in York in a... homosexual bar?"  
"What?" This time, Bates' surprise was real. What was the detective talking about?  
"Yes. A few months ago, Mr. Barrow was arrested in an illegal place in York. At the time of the arrest, he was dancing with another man. The investigation didn't proceed, because apparently he was saved by somebody in the Royal staff".  
Oh. Of course. The night of the Royal visit, Thomas had went to York with Mr. Ellis.  
"I'm sorry, I honestly don't know anything about it. But I don't understand how this has anything to do with what happened to little Sam".  
"We are just thinking about every possibility, Mr. Bates. If someone living in Downton, in close proximity with the little victim, is a... homosexual, we need to examine every possible implications".  
Bates felt enraged. Now he understood.  
"I beg your pardon, detective... but even if what you say was true, I still don't understand how it would connect Mr. Barrow with the death of Sam. Whatever I might think on the matter, I hope you realize that killing a kid and liking men are two different things".  
"Like I said, Mr. Bates, we have to explore any possibility. And if you don't mind, I know how to do my job. You should trust the police who is investigating what happened with all the attention".  
"Don't get offended, detective Thompson, but honestly I don't trust the work of the police so much. As you know, I was unfairly accused of murdering my former wife Vera, and it was only thanks to Anna, my second wife, that I was found innocent. She did on her own all the investigation and found an important witness. The police didn't do anything for me. So I'm sorry if I have some doubts about how the investigations are done".  
"No offense taken, Mr. Bates. I know about your tribulations, and I understand your position. However, I don't have to explain myself to you. Now, if you would like to answer to another question... I understand that Mr. Barrow likes kids a lot. You have a little boy. Do they ever play together?"  
"Me and Anna leave our little Johnnie with Mr. Barrow all the time. He loves him, and our son loves to spend time with Mr. Barrow. He is a great babysitter, and I feel safe when Johnnie is with him, even more then when he is with the nanny". The detective closed his little book and put away his pen.  
"Thank you so much, Mr. Bates. This was very helpful".


	2. Chapter 2

Bates was fuming. He had spent the day trying to comfort his wife, who was incredibly upset after what happened in front of her, in the servant's hall. But everyone, really, was upset and angry. Baxter had disappeared for hours, and no one knew where she went. They had to tell Lady Grantham they couldn't find her anymore. She had come back with red, puffy eyes, offering no explanation. Mrs Hughes was so angry she looked capable of winning a fight against a tiger. Mrs. Patmore had been yelling at the maids while she was preparing dinner, slamming drawers and pans. Andy and Daisy were working in silence, with two stunned expressions on their young faces.  
Earlier that day, right when they were finishing lunch, they had received a visit from the York Police. Detective Thompson was accompanied by two policemen. It wasn't unusual: in the past couple of days the detective had spoken with everyone in the house, servants and members of the family. And while everyone had talked highly of Thomas, it looked like he was the main suspect. He was in the village at the time when the boy had been kidnapped; and while he had receipts that proved that he really had gone shopping, the police was using that as a proof that he was close to the house of the boy.  
So, that day, detective Thompson had arrested Thomas in front of all the other servants, formally accusing him of kidnapping and killing little Sam.  
Everyone had tried to protest, but of course it had no use. Bates knew that not even in 200 years he would have been able to forget Thomas' face in that moment: shocked and terribly, terribly scared.  
Bates was especially worried, because he knew what prison was, and for Thomas would have been incredibly difficult to be there. More important, Bates didn't have any faith in the work of the York police. They needed a culprit, and they had decided it was going to be Thomas. He knew that they would have never conducted a proper investigation. For this reason, he and the others needed to do something, if they wanted their butler back soon, safe and sound.

Bates asked the other servants to meet after dinner, in the servant's hall. He had told them it was about Thomas, and that he had the approval of the family. So, that night everyone gathered around the long table. Molesley and Carson were present too, since their input could have been useful (and Carson was going to act as a butler for the moment).  
Once everyone was present, Bates started speaking. "So... you all know why I asked you to be here. We need to help Mr. Barrow. I spoke to His Lordship, and he told me he called Mr. Murray, who is already working on the case. But we can do much more, in the meantime".  
"Like what?" asked Andy.  
"Simple things. Simple, but that could be decisive. We need to go and ask the people of the village for any information. Gather anything we can find that look even remotely connected to the case. Search Mr. Barrow's room, maybe there can be something that was overlooked. Basically, we need to conduct our own investigation".  
"With all due respect, Mr. Bates - started Carson - I think we should let the police do their job".  
"I respectfully disagree, Mr. Carson. I understand why you feel this way, but my experience with the police work is very different. When I was accused of murdering Vera, they didn't even conduct a proper investigation. Anna did it, in place of them. The same when I confessed to have killed Green in order to clear Anna's name. They didn't even went to the pubs in York to verify that I had been there. Mr. Molesley and Ms. Baxter did it. This time with Mr. Barrow is not going to be different. They arrested him without any evidence, only because he was in the village that day. How many other people were in the village? Why they arrested him and not somebody else? You know why, Mr. Carson. If Thomas liked women, he wouldn't be a suspect".  
Carson lowered his head on the table, embarrassed like every time the topic of Barrow' preferences was coming up. "Yes, well..."  
"But... they have nothing against him, like you said," said Molesley. "Even if they go to trial, what evidence they will present to the jury?"  
"They will not need any evidence," answered Anna. "They only will have to tell the jury that Mr. Barrow is a homosexual. They will call us to testify about it, and they will also use against him the fact that he plays a lot with Master George and Miss Sybbie, and even our Johnnie. I have no doubt that the jury will find him guilty".  
"But... the kid... little Sam..." said Andy. "He wasn't... I mean... he wasn't attacked... before he was killed, right?"  
"From what we know, no," answered Bates. "But I don't think it will make a big difference. Or anyway, we can't just hope it won't".  
"We need to avoid the trial. At all costs", said Baxter, resolute. Everyone was silent for a few moments.  
"I think the best approach would be to split the different things to do between us. Why don't we write down a list of anything that we might think of?" said Mrs. Hughes, practical as usual. And so, they all stayed in the servant's hall for hours, writing and discussing.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, everyone was ready to start the investigation. The search in Thomas' room had not brought any results. Not that they expected anything, but sometimes things could go overlooked. The only thing that they found related to the day in which little Sam had been kidnapped, was the calendar that Thomas kept on the wall, in which he had annotated that it was his half day free, from the morning to the afternoon.  
For this reason, it was imperative that they went to speak to the people in the village. Anna and Baxter had offered to go speak with the family of little Sam: it was a delicate matter, and they were the best people for that.  
Molesley, Andy, and Mrs. Hughes were going to ask to other farmers for any input. Bates, on the other hand, had another delicate task to complete.

Thomas was pale, and clearly surprised to see him. He was wearing the grey, loose shirt that Bates knew even too well; and his hair, with no pomade, was clean but untidy.  
"Oh... it's you", said the butler, getting seated in front of Bates. "I thought it was Mr. Murray again".  
"He said he doesn't have any news yet. You saw him yesterday, after all, right after... you were brought here".  
Thomas swallowed. "Yes. I only hoped he already found something important".  
"Not yet, I'm afraid. But don't worry... We are all working for you".  
"What?" Thomas looked confused.  
"We, meaning the servants and part of the family, are starting our own investigation. I don't trust the York police, so I have asked the others to help. Today we are all searching for anything that can help your case".  
"Like what?"  
"I don't know... anything. When I was in prison, Anna found a key witness, just investigating on her own. You never know what can come up".  
Thomas sat quietly for a moment, with his eyes low on the table in front of him. Then he spoke again, almost whispering. "I didn't do anything to that child. I swear".  
Bates was caught off guard. For not even a second he had thought that Barrow could be guilty. "Of course not, Thomas. No one thinks that you have something to do with what happened. Why we would help you, otherwise? We know why you were accused. Don't believe for even a moment that one of us could think you're a murderer, because I can tell you, we do not".  
"Thank you", whispered Thomas, with a small, relieved smile.  
"Now... I'd like you to tell me everything that you might think it could be related to the day that little Sam disappeared. What you did, what you saw... anything".  
"I already told all of this to Mr. Murray".  
"Tell it to me, too".   
Thomas sighed. "Fine. Well...."  
Barrow told Bates the exact same things he had already told the lawyer. Not that Bates expected something different, but he had to try, to see if there was something that Thomas didn't remember correctly.  
Also, he wanted to see with his eyes if the butler was fine. He knew how difficult prison could be, and couldn't imagine Thomas living there.  
"I also wanted to see how you were doing," said Bates, before the time for the visit was up. "I know how difficult is to live here... have you had any problems with anyone?"  
Thomas shook his head. "Not yet. But I want to go home".  
"Of course you do". Bates had never felt so sorry for the butler, not even after he tried to kill himself. "And I promise you, that we will find something to help you".  
Thomas looked doubtful, but nodded. "Thank you".  
"Before I leave, I'll give you some advice. Don't pick a fight with anyone. You don't know how dangerous some of these people might be. Don't answer if you are provoked, not even to the guards. Be careful and stay on your own".  
Thomas nodded again. "Thank you. I will try. But now... I need a favor from you".  
The butler's expression was suddenly much more serious and worried than before. "Yes?" asked Bates, curious and a little perplexed.  
"Will you please tell Mr. Ellis? I... He will write to me. He will call me. He needs to know".  
Bates was silent for a moment. He had the suspect that there was some romance between Barrow and the royal valet, but of course he couldn't directly ask. Now he didn't need to.  
"Of course. I will contact him personally".  
"Thanks", said Thomas, with his eyes fixed on the table.  
Right in that moment, a guard announced that time was up. Bates looked reluctant to go, and Thomas smiled a little. For a moment, Bates thought to see the old, mischievous smile that was his signature. "Don't worry for me, Mr. Bates. I'll be fine".  
"Right," said Bates, getting up. "We'll write to you tonight, to let you know what we found".  
"Thank you again."  
"Bye, Thomas. Take care".  
Thomas smiled again. "It's Mr. Barrow to you".  
Watching the butler while he was leaving, a little taller and more confident, Bates knew that he would have been fine.


	4. Chapter 4

Bates entered the butler's pantry, and closed the door behind him. He had found the telephone number of Mr. Ellis in Thomas' address books. He hoped no one was going to bother him. He knew it would have been a delicate and complicated phone call.  
He sat at the desk and got quickly connected to the office of Mr. Ellis, who answered the phone.  
"Mr. Richard Ellis, Royal Valet. Who am I speaking to?"  
Bates cleared his throat. "Good evening, Mr. Ellis. My name is Mr. John Bates. I am the valet of Lord Grantham. We met at Downton Abbey when you came for the royal visit".  
"Oh. Mr. Bates. Yes, I remember you. It's a pleasure to hear from you".  
He was nervous, Bates could hear it. Of course, he must have figured out that Bates had no reason whatsoever to call him, except to talk about Thomas."I need to talk to you about a complicated matter, I'm afraid. Mr. Barrow asked me to contact you, to let you know what is going on".  
Richard didn't speak for a second. "Is Mr. Barrow alright?" he asked at the end, fear obvious is his voice.  
Bates hesitated. "He is. But... I'm afraid he has been arrested".  
Mr. Ellis gasped. "But... Did they find out...?"  
"No, Mr. Ellis, nothing of the sort. Sadly, it's probably worse. Mr. Barrow has been wrongfully accused of the murder of a child".  
"The murder of a child?" exclaimed Ellis, clearly shocked.  
"I can assure you, Mr. Ellis, that Mr. Barrow is absolutely innocent. I am convinced that he has been accused because of his... love preferences, I would say. He would never hurt a child".  
"But... that's..."  
Bates decided to keep speaking. "Unfortunately, I am not convinced that the police is doing their job. For this reason, me and the other friends of Mr. Barrow have decided to investigate on our own. I know that maybe it's not going to be possible, but if you would like to come here and help us... It would be very much appreciated. If you want, you could also visit Mr. Barrow in prison. I'm sure it would be a pleasant surprise, for him".  
Richard hesitated, clearly still shocked. "Yes... yes, of course. I'll be there... tonight. Yes, I think I can get a car to drive there".  
"Are you sure? I hope it won't be a problem for you, with your job".  
"Mr. Bates, I don't care about my job right now. I still can't believe what you are telling me, but I'll invent a reason to leave right away. If they allow me, good; and if they don't, I will just resign. I'll see you in a few hours".  
Ellis hung up. Bates stayed sitting in front of the desk for a couple of minutes. He had asked him to come because he thought that his name and the fact that he was working for the King would help in the investigation. And he was sincerely hoping that it was going to be true. 

Mr. Ellis kept his word: after a few hours, a car was parked next to the servants' entrance, and the royal valet came out of it. He almost ran to the door, that was unlocked. It was dinnertime, and Richard knew that the doors were locked after everyone had gone to bed. So, he entered and went down the stairs that he remembered very well from a few weeks before.  
As he imagined, everyone was at dinner; and when he entered the servant's hall, hat in hand, they all got up, imitating Carson, who looked surprised at Richard.  
"What can we do for you, Mr...?" he asked.  
"Ellis. Richard Ellis. I'm the royal valet, I came here during the visit of Their Majesties".  
"Oh, of course, Mr. Ellis, now I remember you. I beg your pardon. You looked familiar, but I couldn't quite remember".  
"Don't worry, Mr. Carson, that's understandable".  
"To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit, Mr. Ellis?"  
"I..." Richard looked at Bates, who interrupted him.  
"I took the liberty of calling him, Mr. Carson. Mr Ellis became a good friend of Mr. Barrow, and I knew he was going to be worried, if he didn't hear from him. So I telephoned him, and Mr. Ellis was so nice to offer to come here to help us getting Mr. Barrow out of prison. He will stay at the cottage with me and Anna".  
"Oh, that is really nice of you", said Carson again, sitting down, followed by the others.  
"Have you had dinner already, Mr. Ellis?" asked Mrs. Hughes, in her usual kind tone of voice.  
"No, Mrs. Hughes, I haven't. I came straight from London".  
"Sit down, then," invited him Mrs. Patmore. "Daisy here will bring you a plate. Right, Daisy?". 

"How much time do you have?" asked Bates, while he and Anna, with little Johnnie asleep in his stroller, were walking together with Richard to the cottage, right after dinner.  
"They gave me five days," answered the royal valet. "I told them I was coming to visit my parents".  
"Five days is not much", commented Anna. It was quite unlikely that Thomas would have been released in such a short period of time.  
Richard sighed. "No. It's not. But let's see what happens. Of course, I'm not going to leave until he's out of prison, even if that means I will have to stay here for months".  
"You will lose your job," said Anna, looking at him.  
"I don't care about my job anymore, Mrs. Bates. Honestly, it's been a while since I'm not happy with it, especially with my colleagues. I wouldn't mind to find another one".  
"Maybe close to here," said Bates, with a playful smile.  
"Definitely close to here". Richard smiled back. Then, the royal valet asked: "Do you think they will let me see him tomorrow?"  
"I don't think so, not tomorrow. I went to see him today, and Mr. Murray went yesterday. They usually don't allow so many visitors in three days. But in a couple of days there shouldn't be a problem. And you can write to him, of course".  
"How was him?"  
Bates seemed to think about it. "He was... longing to come home, of course. But overall, he didn't look bad. I told him what we are doing, and he asked me to contact you".  
"Thank you so much for that, Mr. Bates. And thank you for letting me stay at your cottage. I promise I will find another accomodation, if this goes on for too long".  
"Don't worry about that, Mr. Ellis," said Anna, smiling. "We like having company".  
"Thank you so much. But please, call me Richard. After all, I feel like I know you very well. Thomas told me a lot about the both of you".  
Anna and Bates looked at each other, a little surprised. "Really?" asked Anna. "I hope he said mostly good things".  
Richard frowned. "He said only good things, actually. Why?"  
Bates smiled fondly at the memories of the past. "Well, even if we are friends now, we weren't at the beginning. We were quite the opposite, actually".  
"Oh". Richard looked perplexed. "That's a story I'd like to know".  
Anna smiled too. "Yes, one day we'll tell you"."  
Anyway, it looks clear to me that you are good friends of him now. And I'm glad you want to help him. Thomas also told me he is very fond of your little Johnnie".  
Anna smiled again. "Yes, he is. They play a lot together, and he is a wonderful babysitter. Thomas really likes children".  
"Which in this case, can also be twisted into something else", commented Richard, sighing.  
"Exactly", said Bates. "This is why we need to get him out of there as soon as possible".


	5. Chapter 5

"What are you doing here?" Thomas' face was a mixture of surprise, relief and happiness. But he was also very pale and tired. Richard had to force himself not to hug him with force, there and in front of everyone.  
"I came to help you," he explained. "Mr. Bates called me, and tell me hat was going on".  
"But... he was only supposed to let you know..."  
"Thomas, please. Do you really think I would have stayed in London after knowing that you were in prison?"  
"But... How did you..."  
"Let's not talk about me. Don't worry, everything is under control. Let's talk about you. How are you?"  
Thomas still looked surprised, like he couldn't believe it. When the guard told him he had a visitor, he assumed he was Phyllis, or Bates again, or even Mr. Murray. For two days he had not received any news or letter from anyone, and he didn't know that Bates had actually contacted Richard.  
"Thomas?" prompted Mr. Ellis, looking intently at him.  
"I... I am fine, I guess. I'm just.... worried. If they convict me, I...."  
"No, that's not going to happen. Don't worry, we are on it".  
"What did you find?"  
Richard hesitated. "Not much, I'm afraid. But we just started. There are a lot of paths that we still have to explore".  
Thomas sighed. He was paler than usual, with dark circles around his eyes, that suggested the absence of proper sleep. "I was hoping you didn't have to see me like this", he said, aware of his looks.  
"I'm just happy to see you", answered Richard, with a sweet smile. Not being able to touch was almost painful, and the Royal valet let his fingers brush lightly against Thomas' hand, who looked about to cry.  
"Listen - said Richard again - we are working on it. Something will come up. Anna told me everything about the time when her husband was in prison and she helped him exactly like this. By the way, I am staying at their cottage".  
Thomas smiled weakly. "I'm glad you are making friends with them. And I am glad that you are here. I feel much better now that I saw you. I only hope you don't have to face any bad consequences".  
"I told you, don't worry about it".  
The two stayed in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the reciprocal company. when was the time for Richard to go, it was almost impossible for him to do so. Thomas just got up and left, without turning to look at him a last time. 

"How was him?" asked Anna that night, when her, Bates and Richard were enjoying a cup of tea at the cottage.  
Richard shook his head. "I don't know. He didn't seem to be in bad shape, but... I'm worried, I don't want him to be there".  
"He will be fine," said Bates, calmly. "Thomas is stronger than what I thought him to be. He knows that we are not going to let him there".  
"Yes, but... we happens if we can't..."  
Anna didn't let him finish. "We will. There is going to be something. He is innocent, therefore there must be something. We only have to find it".  
"See?" said Bates again. "It was exactly this stubbornness that let me out of prison. And it's going to be the same for Mr. Barrow, too".  
Richard smiled briefly, but his eyes still looked doubtful.


	6. Chapter 6

After a few days, sadly, there was no news. Thomas was still in prison, and the police wasn't officially investigating anyone else. That meant that he was going to go to trial, even if the date had not been chosen yet.   
That afternoon, Anna was out in the village, in order to continue her job of interviewing people. Until that point, she had not found anything that could have been useful for Thomas. Now, she was walking in the countryside right outside the village, where lived some farmers that she hadn't interviewed yet.   
When she reached the closest one, she saw a man working on the vegetable garden outside. He was around the age of her husband, and she approached him with a smile."Good evening", she said.   
"Good evening, ma'am," answered the farmer, a little perplexed. "May I help you with something?"  
"I really hope so," said Anna. "My name is Anna Bates. I am doing some... private research about the tragic death of little Sam. Do you know anything that can be useful?"  
The man frowned. "Why? I thought they already had the culprit. I heard they arrested someone".  
For some reason, the police had not released the news that they had arrested the butler of Downton Abbey. Luckily, no one knew about Thomas' situation.   
"Y... yes, they did. But see... the man they arrested is my friend. And I know for sure that he would die before hurting a kid".   
The man sighed. "I understand, ma'am. But that is what everyone would say about a friend, no? No one ever believes that someone they know might be a murderer".  
"That's true, sir. But... See, I also was arrested by mistake. Maybe you remember... I am the lady's maid at the Abbey that was arrested years ago, with the accusation of killing a man in London".  
The farmer frowned again, trying to think. "Oh... yes, I think I remember that story... and then someone else confessed, right?"  
"Right," said Anna, smiling. "But until that point, the police were absolutely sure it was me. I know that they are wrong about my friend. If you would just answer some questions... In the end, if he is really guilty, it won't change anything, right?"  
The man smiled a little. "Sure, why not? Come inside", he said, gesturing Anna to enter in his house. "By the way, my name is Sean. Pleased to meet you".

The man offered Anna some tea, after she sat down at the table, in the small but cozy dining room of the little cottage.   
"Alright, so, feel free to ask me anything", he said, after they both had a cup of tea in front of them.  
"Did you know little Sam?" asked Anna, immediately.  
"I did, actually. He was going to school with my nephews. They were playing together sometime, after school. I saw him also the day he was killed. What a awful situation, for his family", answered Sean, lowering his head on the table and shaking his head with sadness.   
Anna looked at him, surprised. "You saw him that day? When?"  
The man didn't seem impressed. "Yes, I did. It was around 3.30 in the afternoon".  
Anna almost dropped her cup. "Are you sure?! Why you didn't tell the police?"  
The farmer shrugged. "I didn't think it was important. They never questioned me. And I knew they had the culprit already, so..."  
Anna interrupted him. "This is... I think this is good news for me. The police said that Sam was killed before 2 pm".  
The man looked surprised. "They did? It's not possible. He was alive much after 3".  
"Are you sure about the time?"  
"Absolutely. Me and my wife have my two nephews here every day until that time. My sister works until 3.30, so we usually pick her children from school and then I'll bring them to her. It couldn't be before that time, because I was bringing the kids to her house. We saw Sam and he said hello to us, and told my nephews he was going to play with them later. Then I heard the news... "  
Anna looked agitated. "Oh, my... that is... It's exactly what we needed..."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"My friend... he was home at that time. See, the police didn't say it, but he is the butler at the Abbey".  
"The butler?"  
"Yes. And he was home right after lunch, at 2. If little Sam was still alive at 3.30, it can't have been my friend. He was at the Abbey, and was working in the servant's hall".  
The farmer looked stunned. "Oh, my... I really had something important to say, after all!"  
"You did!" Anna looked like she couldn't stay still anymore. She was moving on her chair, impatient. "Would you mind coming to me to the Abbey? We have to call the lawyer, the sooner the better!"  
"But of course. Let me just write a note for my wife".

That night in the servant's hall, dinner was much more happy then the precedent days. Everyone was laughing and smiling. "See?" said Bates to Richard, sat in front of him. "I told you that my wife was capable of getting Thomas out of prison".  
Richard smiled. "I will always be thankful to her and to all of you".  
"But he is not out yet," reminded them Anna.  
It was true: Mr. Murray had made clear that Thomas was going to be released, at that point. But the police had not said when, yet. They only said they had to finish some legal procedure. Everyone expected him home any day now, and Richard couldn't wait any longer.


	7. Chapter 7

He had been walking for miles and miles. He was tired, but luckily he thought he was closer to where he wanted to go. He had to ask for some directions to some people, and in a few minutes he should have arrived at destination.  
Luckily, it was true. He pushed the door of the shop and entered. When Tom Branson heard the little ring on the door, that was signaling that someone had entered the shop, he quickly wiped his hands and started walking towards the entrance, to greet the possible customer. When he saw who he was, his eyes went wide open with the shock.  
"Barrow!" he almost shouted, running towards the butler. "What happened? Did they let you out?"  
Thomas looked paled and disheveled. He was also sweaty, like he had run or walked a lot.  
"Yes," he answered. "They let me out this morning at 6, before breakfast".  
Tom looked even more stunned. "But... why you didn't call us? We would have picked you up".  
"They didn't let me, sir. I thought they already called you, but when I got out and no one was there waiting for me, I realized they didn't".  
Henry Talbot was getting closer to Thomas too. He spoke in a calm voice, trying to understand what happened. "How did you arrive here?" he asked.  
"I walked, sir".  
Tom looked surprised again. "You walked?? From the prison to here?? It must have taken you hours!"  
"Yes, sir. Precisely".  
"Why you didn't take a bus or a cab?" asked Henry again.  
"I didn't have money, sir. They gave me back my things, but in my wallet there was no money anymore. Not surprising, honestly".  
Tom opened his mouth, outraged, and he exclaimed: "You could have taken a cab anyway, Barrow! We would have paid the driver once you arrived here!"  
Thomas blushed, embarrassed. "I didn't think about it, sir. I was just so happy to be out of that place, that I started walking to get as far away as possible".  
Tom and Henry looked at each other, serious, but also relieved. "You have been walking for almost three hours, at least," said Henry after a few seconds. "You must be very tired. And I assume you're also hungry, since you didn't have breakfast. Am I right?"  
"Yes, sir", said Thomas, almost in a whisper.  
"I thought so. We have some tea and biscuits. Sit on that armchair, while I'm going to fetch them".  
Thomas tried to protest. "No, sir, I can..."  
"Oh, Barrow, leave it. You always serve me, it's not a problem if I serve you tea, for once".  
Thomas smiled a little, still a little embarrassed. "Thank you sir".  
"And I am going to call home and tell them", said Tom Branson. "Once you finish eating, we'll bring you there".  
"I don't want to disrupt your workday..." started Thomas, sitting down.  
Tom scoffed. "You re not disrupting anything. And we don't have a lot to do, anyway".

During the drive home, Thomas was so tired that he thought he would fall asleep. Instead, he couldn't stop looking out of the window. He had been in prison only for a couple of weeks, but it seemed a couple of years. He was sitting in the back with Tom Branson, while Mr. Talbot was driving. In just two weeks, the trees had bloomed, and the spring flowers were everywhere. He couldn't wait to be able to take a stroll in the gardens and in the countryside. And of course... Richard was waiting for him. He couldn't wait to hug him tight. 

Thomas must have dozed off after all, because he woke up when Tom Branson patted his knee. "C'mon," he said, opening the car door.  
Instinctively, Thomas went towards the servant's door, but Mr. Talbot called him back. "No, come from the main entrance. I'm sure Robert is waiting for you".  
And sure enough, Lord Grantham was in the library, and he came as soon as he heard them entering. "Ah, Barrow!" he exclaimed, clearly relieved to see his butler back in one piece. "I'm happy to have you back! How are you?" he asked, shaking Thomas' hand.  
"I'm... fine, My Lord. I could be worse".  
"I already called Mr. Murray. He is taking care of how you were treated today. They didn't tell us anything, and they also stole your money. Rest assured that you will have it back".  
"Thank you, My Lord. I'm happy to back too, of course. I can't wait to resume my duties".  
"Oh, not for a few days, at least, Barrow. I want you to rest. You look a little pale, and you definitely need some good food from Mrs. Patmore. I told the other servants you were coming back, they are waiting for you downstairs. Even Mr. Ellis is there. I'm sure... he would like to say hello to you". Lord Grantham smiled a little, with a twinkle i hies eyes.  
Thomas didn't need any further encouragement. He quickly walked in the servant's hall, where almost everyone was waiting for him. Immediately, Richard jumped to his feet, his eyes bright. He walked over to Thomas, who couldn't see anyone else, in that moment. The butler quickly looked around. For some reason, Mrs. Patmore, the maids and Daisy weren't there. Anna, Bates and Baxter got closer to him, but Thomas could only see Richard. He hugged him, and without caring about what the others could think, he kissed him.


	8. Chapter 8

It was good to back at Downton.  
Thomas had sorely missed his home, his colleagues and the Crawley family. He still couldn't believe what had happened to him, and probably would have been a while since he could feel safe walking outside in the village again. But now, he was home. And more important, he was with Richard. Richard, that now was waiting for him to go out in the garden. They were planning of finding a quiet spot under a tree and read a book that Thomas had in his room.  
While he was walking to join Richard at the servant's entrance, he was approached by Bates, who smiled to him."Thank you, Mr. Bates, for everything you did for me," said Thomas, now that they were alone.  
"You're very welcome, Mr. Barrow".  
"And thanks also for letting Richard stay at your cottage. It was really nice of you and Anna".  
Bates smiled again. "Talking about that... why don't you come to stay at the cottage with us, tonight?" he asked, almost whispering.  
Thomas frowned, perplexed. "But how..."  
"Listen. Mrs. Patmore is organizing for tonight a very nice dinner to celebrate your freedom. After the dessert, you will say that you are very tired, and you want to go to sleep. Instead of going to your room, you will go to our cottage, and you will wait for me, Anna and Richard there. I will give you the spare key".  
"But..."  
"Tomorrow you are free, so no one will question it, when you will not come to breakfast. It will be expected".  
Thomas lowered his eyes. "I... are you sure, Mr. Bates? I don't know if..."  
"Oh, please. Appropriate or not, I don't care. And Anna doesn't either. You deserve to spend some time with him. And he deserves it too. He came here just to support you and to stay with you, and he did a great job in investigating, even if in the end it was Anna who found the witness. The less I can do is to provide you a space to be together safely for a few hours".  
Thomas swallowed. He looked moved and about to cry. All those emotions in one day were too much. He could only whisper to Bates: "Thanks... thak you so much".

That night, everybody was happy. And Thomas felt like his heart could burst with joy and love for all those people. Seeing the family celebrate his freedom together with the servants was something that made him feel loved, maybe for the first time in a long time. Maybe it was also the wine he had, but he felt part of a family. It was a new feeling for him. He looked around: everybody was talking, drinking and smiling, even Mr. Carson. Richard was talking with Tom Branson and Henry Talbot. He and Thomas had been careful to stay not too close to each other. Too many people around, to feel free to touch. Even if probably everybody knew abut them, anyway. But soon, they could have been together for the whole night. Thomas looked at Bates, and the valet raised his eyebrows, giving him the signal. It was time to go.  
Thomas went around saying goodnight to everyone, explaining that he was very tired and he needed to sleep. He thanked His Lordship and the family, and Mrs. Patmore for the amazing dinner. Then, he made his way out, after being sure that no one was following him, the key to the cottage burning in his pocket. 

Thomas woke up the next morning feeling rested. It was a new sensation: definitely in prison there was no way he could sleep well. The bed in Anna and Bates' guest room was incredibly comfortable, even more then his own. Maybe he could pay them rent and go live there, he thought with a smile. Sunlight was coming from the window, and Thomas slowly turned to look at Richard, still asleep next to him. He couldn't believe he spent the night with him. They had been careful not to make too much noise: it was really strange to be in the same house with Anna and Bates. He slowly kissed Richard on the cheek, and his lover opened his eyes with a smile. "Good morning", he said. "I think you slept well".  
"I did", answered Thomas, snuggling against him.  
"Anna and Bates left an hour ago with Johnnie. I woke up to get some water and I saw them. Anna said she will pretend to bring you breakfast in your room, so that no one will be suspicious of why you are still in bed. So you will find a tray with porridge when you'll go back".  
Thomas chuckled. "I think everybody knows about us anyway".  
"I'm sure they do".  
"When do you have to go back to London?" asked Thomas, and Richard's face became serious.  
"I don't have to go back. I resigned".  
Thomas raised his head to fully look at him. "What? Why?"  
"They only gave me five free days. And it was clear since the beginning that... everything would have took more time, so I decided to resign instead of waiting to be sacked. This way, I got a nice letter of reference".  
"I'm... I'm really sorry..."  
"Don't be," interrupted him Richard, putting his finger on Thomas' lips.  
"It was a while that I was thinking to leave. It was a nice job, of course, but I wasn't getting along with my colleagues. And I never liked too much living in London. I'd prefer to stay here, or in York..." Richard ended the sentence smiling, with a twinkle in his eyes.  
"You... want to find a job here?"  
"Yes. I don't have to be a valet, I can do a lot of things. And it will be nice to stay closer to my parents. They are getting old, and might need me. Besides... You don't think I would leave you now, do you?"  
Thomas couldn't speak. Again, he felt like he was about to cry. He swallowed, and kissed Richard again.


	9. Chapter 9

After a few hours, Thomas went in the servant's hall.  
He and Richard had slept in, and now it was almost time for lunch. Lord Grantham had told him that he could take all the time he needed, but Thomas felt like he could start working again soon. The next day, maybe. He felt fine, and he was ready to go back to the normal, everyday life. And now, knowing that Richard could stay with him... He had some savings, and he was planning to stay with Anna and Bates until he found another job in York on in the nearby towns, then he would think about renting a flat or something like that.  
For the first time in his life, Thomas was feeling happy and satisfied. He had a job he loved, an important person in his life that loved him and who he loved back... he couldn't ask more.  
In the servant's hall, he found Mrs. Patmore and Mrs. Hughes, who were enjoying a cup of tea relaxing with a magazine. They both smiled at him, and the cook poured him some tea.  
"So... Mrs. Barrow, did you have a restful night?" asked politely Mrs. Hughes, and Thomas didn't see the little smile she exchanged with Mrs. Patmore.  
"Yes, I did, Mrs. Hughes. Thanks for asking. I feel very well today".  
"I bet you do", muttered Mrs. Patmore, with her eyes focused on the cup in front of her.  
Mrs. Hughes pretended to be scandalized. "Mrs. Patmore! What are you implying?"  
"Oh, nothing, Mrs. Hughes. I only would like to know if Mr. Ellis feels rested too..."  
Both women chuckled, and Thomas kept staring at them. What...?  
"Oh, don't worry, Mr. Barrow," told him the housekeeper with a warm smile. "We are just teasing you. We are happy for you and Mr. Ellis, truly".  
"I thought we were being careful..."  
"You were, Mr. Barrow, don't worry," said again Mrs. Hughes. "It's just... me and Mrs. Patmore saw a lot in this life. It's difficult to deceive us".  
"It is," confirmed the cook. "And anyway, even Daisy figured out about you two".  
"Oh," commented Thomas, incapable of saying more. It wasn't a surprise, but still...  
"Don't worry," said the housekeeper. "You're safe here. Everybody likes Mr. Ellis, by the way. He is really a charming man, and great at conversation".  
Thomas blushed and smiled, lowering his eyes. "I'm glad you like him".  
"If only I was younger," muttered again Mrs. Patmore, and Thomas smiled.  
Right in that moment, Mr. Carson entered in the servant's hall. Before anyone could say anything, Carson introduced the last person Thomas wanted to see. "Mr. Barrow, Sergeant Willis is here to talk to you".  
The policeman followed Carson, and upon seeing Thomas' shocked and pale face, he quickly reassured him. "Don't worry, Mr. Barrow, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. I came here to tell you... that we arrested the murderer of little Sam".  
"Really?" asked Thomas, almost whispering.  
"Yes. We, the police of the village arrested him. In the end, we were able to catch the real guy, differently from the York police".  
"Well... who was it?" asked Mrs. Patmore.  
"It was his uncle. He wasn't living at Downton, but in Thirsk. Apparently, he wanted revenge for something that the father of the boy did to him. No one thought about it at first, because the family had not spoke to him in a very long time".  
"Oh... that's really sad... but it's also a relief," said Mrs. Hughes. "At least, we know that there isn't a kid's murderer still free".  
"Exactly, Mrs. Hughes".  
"Well, then... can we all have a cup of tea to celebrate?" said Mrs. Patmore. "I just made a cake that will be perfect for this!"

Richard entered in the library, curious and perplexed. There, he found Mr. Branson and Mr. Talbot, sitting on one of the sofa, next to the fireplace. When they saw him, they both got up.  
"Oh, Mr. Ellis, you're here", said Mr. Branson, smiling.  
"Yes, sir. Andy told me you wanted to see me".  
"Yes, we do", said Mr. Talbot, gesturing towards the couch in front of him. "Please, sit. We would like to talk to you".  
Richard nodded, and sat down on the sofa, while Branson was pouring him a cup of tea.  
"So, Mr. Ellis," started Henry, sitting again and looking at him with a smile. "You told us yesterday that you are out of a job".  
"Yes, sir. I just... felt like I preferred to live here then in London".  
Henry and Tom exchanged a quick glance. Then, Tom spoke. "What do you know about cars? You do drive, right?"  
Richard seemed surprised by the question. "Yes, sir, I do drive. I also know how to make some minor repair, but I'm afraid I don't know more than this".  
"It will be enough, for now", said again Henry, sipping his tea. "See, we were planning of... expanding our business, and we thought about you".  
Richard looked alternatively between the two of them. "For what, if I may ask?"  
Tom smiled openly, before answering. "We want to hire you".  
Richard almost dropped his cup. "Me? Why?"  
"Well, our shop is doing really well," said Tom. "And we have been thinking for a while to get some help. We need someone that can help us managing the books, and meeting with clients, and even do some work around the cars. Don't worry, you will have time to learn".  
"But... are you sure you want me? Probably there are a lot of people, that can be more suitable for this job".  
"Maybe", admitted Henry. "But we don't know them. Our contacts in the field all live in other cities, or in America. And we really don't want to go through the process of trying different people that we don't know, hoping someday to find the right match".  
"We know you a little bit", added Tom. "Being a valet of the King must have been a very demanding job, and we know you did it for years with dedication. This shows the kind of work ethic we would like to find in the person we will hire. Plus, you are very good with people. We saw it in these days you stayed with us. We need somebody that can keep good relationships with our clients. And since you are searching for a job, and we are searching for somebody to hire... why not?"  
"You can always try, and then leave if you don't like the job", said Henry. "But personally, I'm sure you will like it".  
"The salary is good too," added Tom. "Of course, there will be ways to get a higher pay, when the activity increases even more. But it will be more then enough to live. And we can provide you with a place to stay. Downton has a lot of empty cottages. Living in one of them will provide you with some... privacy". Tom ended the sentence with another glance to Henry.  
"I... I don't know what to say". Richard was clearly surprised, but he seemed happy about the proposal. "Have to told Thomas about it?" he asked.  
Tom smiled. "No, not yet. We wanted to ask you first. In case you didn't accept, we didn't want to give him false hopes".  
"I... I'm honored. Really, I am".  
"This means that you accept?" asked Henry.  
"Yes. Yes, I do".  
"There is a catch, though," said Tom, serious.  
Richard swallowed, perplexed. "Which one?"  
"Everyday me and Henry drive from here together to go to York in one car. You will have to take your turn to drive".  
Richard laughed. "Of course! I would love that!".


	10. Epilogue

"Thomas, I really need to go".  
"Oh, I'm sorry! There is no time for breakfast, then?"  
Richard smiled, kissing Thomas on the cheek. "I'm afraid not".  
The butler kissed him back, stretching his arms with a yawn. It was time to get up. He would have had breakfast at Downton, with the others.  
Since Richard had took the job at the car shop, Thomas was spending almost every night at his cottage, that was very close to the Abbey. And very close to Anna and Baates' cottage. They were often walking together to work.   
Now, Thomas was watching Richard while he was getting ready. "Sorry, I really need to go," said his boyfriend. "Tom and Henry are picking me up in a few minutes".  
Thomas smiled. "It's weird for me to hear you calling them by first names".  
Richard smiled back. "I'm sure it is. Maybe it will be easier after they have been here for dinner".  
Thomas frowned. "What?"  
The former valet of the King laughed. "I haven't told you yet. Tomorrow Tom and Henry, or Mr. Branson and Mr. Talbot, as you have to call them, will be here at the cottage to have dinner with us. Yes, with you too".   
"I..."  
"Don't worry! I already ordered a whole dinner from Mr. Bakewell. I didn't want to oberate Mrs. Patmore with work. His boy will deliver it in time for dinner. It's your half day tomorrow, so it will be easy".  
Thomas shook his head, smiling. "Well, thanks for telling me".  
"I though about it. It would have been fun not to tell you anything until the last second".  
"Ah ah", mocked him Thomas. Richard smiled, and kissed him on the mouth. Thomas kissed him back, trying to pull him closer with one hand. Right in that moment, a car honked, and Thomas let go.   
"Sorry," said Richard, smiling. We'll pick up tonight from where we've left".  
The butler sighed, smiling a little. He watched his partner to quickly leave the bedroom, and got closer to the window, to watch him getting into the car.   
It was very early, but Thomas knew that they were supposed to go out of town to meet some important clients. That was the reason why Mr. Branson and Mr. Talbot weren't having breakfast at the Abbey. Less job for him, thought Thomas, while watching Richard opening the door of the car. Before entering, Richard turned towards the window and nodded, smiling.   
The car left. Thomas smiled again. It was time to get ready and to meet Anna and Bates to walk to the Abbey together. All was good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this!  
> I really hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
